First, clean the calamari. If you’re unsure how, ask your trusted fishmonger to do it for you.

Rinse the calamari under running water. Pull off the head (the part with the tentacles).

Look inside for the clear cartilage and pull it out. Rinse well.

Now you can easily remove the innards. You might find the ink sac—collect the liquid in a small bowl to use in other recipes, and discard the rest (the empty sac and the innards).

Make a small cut at the base of the body and, using a small knife (or disposable gloves to prevent slipping), peel off the purplish outer skin. Then cut off the side fins.

Use a knife to separate the head from the tentacles. Remove the eyes by making a small cut underneath them.

Finally, remove the central beak from the tentacles by gently pressing it out from the outside. Rinse all the cleaned parts thoroughly.

Cut the body into rings about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. If the calamari are large, cut thinner rings. Slice the fins into thin strips, as they are tougher and harder to cook, and remove the skin from the tentacles, which you can leave whole.

Rinse the pieces and dry them thoroughly with paper towels. This step is very important to prevent the calamari from splattering during frying.

Place the semolina flour in a wide bowl and toss the calamari in it, making sure all pieces are well coated. Shake off the excess in a clean colander, then sprinkle more flour over them in the colander to ensure even coverage. This trick helps you check that all the calamari are coated with flour.

Heat peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 340°F (170°C), checking with a thermometer. When the oil is ready, fry the calamari in small batches until golden brown.

Drain the calamari and let them dry on paper towels in a single layer. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon, or with grated lemon, lime, or orange zest, or simply with a pinch of salt.